POVERTY SURGE IN NEW YORK CITY AFTER PANDEMIC ENDS, CHILDREN BEAR BRUNT
New research has revealed a dramatic increase in poverty in New York City as the pandemic comes to an end, with children bearing the brunt of the consequences. According to the Office of the Mayor of New York, one in four children in the city are now living in poverty.
The latest research indicates that the number of poor people in New York City has soared, with nearly 2 million people expected to be living in poverty in 2022, marking a staggering increase of 500,000 from the previous year. This is the largest single-year increase in the past decade and presents a grim reality for the city.
Children are particularly affected, with the poverty rate for children reaching 25% in 2022, the highest rate since 2015. People of color are disproportionately impacted, with poverty rates for Latinos, Asians, and Black people nearly twice that of whites.
The surge in poverty has been attributed to the termination of several federal aids during the epidemic, including the expansion of the child tax credit and increased unemployment insurance benefits. Inflation and rising rental costs have also contributed to the crisis.
In response to the findings, government and elected officials are planning to roll out more aid in an effort to combat the surge in poverty. Recommendations include making the expansion of the child tax credit introduced during the epidemic permanent and increasing the Empire State Child Tax Credit. There are also calls to relax land zoning controls and expand the issuance of rental vouchers to help low-income people solve their housing problems.
New York City Mayor Adams has launched a series of measures to address the needs of working-class people, including the summer youth employment program and the expansion of the city’s earned income tax credit. Despite the challenges posed by the surge in poverty, the city has recently seen an increase in jobs, returning to pre-pandemic levels more than a year ahead of schedule.
The situation remains dire, and urgent action is necessary to address the increasing levels of poverty in New York City. Advocates are calling for swift and decisive measures to protect the city’s most vulnerable populations and prevent further suffering.